Name/Title
Boston Massacre (1-13)Entry/Object ID
1979.14.1Description
A set of 13 embossed and collage screen prints executed by Larry Rivers in 1970 on the Boston Massacre. Presented in an edition of 150. Printed at Kelpra Studio in London and published by Marlborough Graphics, Inc., New York.
1979.14.1.1 - Cover - Heavy silver cardboard. On the front are sketches of a map at the top followed by armed soldiers pointing a gun at the viewer and a man lying on the ground. Mostly black and white with accents of red, yellow, and blue. The back is a black and white scene of Boston with the words BOSTON written in blue behind the city. There are 4 yellow clouds in the sky.
1979.14.1.2 - Black Revue - Silver background with a black border. The left side has several images of: men fighting in the upper left; two heads in the middle, one angry the other happy, both oulined in blue; and a "Daily News" clipping from 1966 at the bottom as well as a man lying on his side. The man on his side is partially outlined in blue and these blue lines lead to the right side. This side also has a large image of a man's head. There is a redcoat solider in the upper right. "For Crispus A." written in black along the bottom right side. Print 124/150 Rivers.
1979.14.1.3 - Ready-Aim and Two Hands - Split into four sections the top two sections are then split into four. The top two sections (or 8 squares) all contain the same image of a man looking down the barrel of a gun. They are all colored differently. For example, the first square is pink while the last on the right is white but the man is dressed in a red shirt. The bottom two sections are the same image but are also colored differently. These images are also a close up of the top image. Print 124/150 in the bottom right corner.
1979.14.1.4 - 40th Regiment - Silver background with several images attached. In the top left is a soldier within a white frame. Frame reads "1785 / 40th Reg.". At the bottom is a black and white image of red coat soldiers killing a group of people in a town square. All the heads are circled. To the right is a soldier in a green uniform and is outlined in several colorful layers. A blue outline is located to the top left. A green and yellow silhouette is to the right. On the right side is an image of a red coat soldier standing next to the upper bodies of three more soldiers who are aiming guns. 124/150 Rivers
1979.14.1.5 - Enlisted Man and Officer - Left side is a red coat soldier on layered on top two hot pink rectangles. The right side is a close up of a solder's body from his shoulders to his knees. He is on neon blue and green rectangles. His arm has also been colored blue. Print 124/150 Rivers
1979.14.1.6 - Boston Harbor and Shooting - At the top is an ariel view of a city by the water, probably Boston. Is it outlined in red. At the bottom there are red coat soldiers killing a group of people in a town square. One soldier has his coat colored red. This image is outlined in red and also blue on the side. There is a thick silver line down the center. Print 124/150 Rivers.
1979.14.1.7 - Some (Visual) After Thoughts on the Boston Massacre - Green board with magenta in the center which is outlined in a red-orange. There is a black outline of a tree at the center which reads " Some (visual) afterthoughts on the Boston Massacre" in yellow and blue font. On the right there are several colorful images including two soldiers facing one another in the left corner; three soldiers in blue uniforms in the upper right corner; a green leaf below them; new clipping with drawings of red coats killing men in the town square; and at the bottom a soldier in a blue and red coat. Print 127/150.
1979.14.1.8 - Victims - Blue, black, and silver speckled background. At the top center is a white image in a red outline of a figure lying on his back. There is a smaller version to his right. At the bottom center is a man on his side propped up on his elbow. There is a smaller version to the right. Both are outlined in blue. "Attuck" is written next to the larger figure's head. To the left of the lying figure are three more figures and to his right are two men one carrying the other in a large and a small version. Print 124/150 Rivers
1979.14.1.9 - Those Who Fire, Those Who Run - Silver background with pink and blue highlights. At the top is a row of red coat soldiers. Below is a single soldier with two outlines to his left. At the bottom left corner is a raised image of a man hugging/holding another. They are outlined to the right. At the bottom right corner there is a soldier dragging a boy and their outline is to the left. Print 124/150 Rivers.
1979.14.1.10 - Observation - Neon pink background with a blue border. There are five repeating images of a man on his knees with his back to the viewer. There is a bomb cloud on the left and two soldiers on the top right. Signed with no print number.
1979.14.1.11 - Redcoats Mist - Ten soldiers lined up with eyes looking down the barrel of a gun. Two have their boots colored brown, seven have red coats, one has a green hat, and another has a blue hat with a yellow face. The bottom has some silver coloring. There are five vertical areas where it appears tape was placed and then removed after it was painted.
1979.14.1.12 - Ready-Aim - Focal point is of a pink man, bald, aiming a gun at the viewer. To his left is a black and white image of a city in older Europe. Above the city is a bright blue sky and below green grass. Below the image in black "in Europe". To the right is the same blue sky and green grass but with a black and white image of an old city damaged by way. It says "meanwhile in Europe". Print 124/150 Rivers.
1979.14.1.13 - Redcoats (Fold-Out) - Ten soldiers in a row aiming a gun at the viewer. Six have red coats. Six have at least one silver boot. The image is mostly white with blue along the top.
27 1/4 x 19 1/4"Collection
Ackerman FoundationAcquisition
Accession
1979.14Acquisition Method
GiftNotes
Gift of David V. Burchfield (through the Martin S. Ackerman Foundation)Made/Created
Date made
1970Time Period
20th CenturyDimensions
Dimension Description
SheetHeight
19-1/4 inWidth
27-1/4 inColor
Black, Blue, Fuchsia, Gray, Green, Lime, Orange, Peach, Pink, Purple, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
